Back To Before
by Marblez
Summary: Something dreadful happens to Scipio, can Prosper save him? Summary sucks, I know. SLASH ScipioProsper. No sequal on the way at this time I'm afraid.
1. Chapter 1

Disclaimer: I don't own any of them I'm sad to say. BTW this is based more in the movie than the book because I loved the movie and came up with this after watching it and I'm sad to admit I still haven't finished the book. I know, I know, terrible me.

Back To Before.

Part One.

The battered figure roughly pushed the gate open and stumbled up to the back door of the nice house, a door he then proceeded to pound with his right fist as loudly as he could. He pounded so hard he accidentally shattered the glass. Lights came on in the house and the sounds of people running around made him smile sadly as he stumbled backwards, both hands clutching at the worst of the three bullets in his stomach as he sank to his knees, the world spinning around him.

"Who the fuck did this?" That the first time he'd heard Ida swear and it made him smile as the kind woman looked out into her garden. "Scipio?" She rushed forwards and her arms were soon around him, taking his weight.

"S-Sorry 'bout the-the window…" he said through a mouthful of blood, some of which spilled out and dripped off his chin.

"Scipio what happened to you?" she asked worriedly. He smiled distantly as he heard his friends running down the stairs and into the kitchen. "Hornet! Call for an ambulance!"

"M-My father found me, he d-didn't like m-my new lo-look," Scipio laughed sadly, "'scept unlike-unlike before this t-time he brought a-a gun." The once Thief Lord looked up at her as he was slowly lowered to the ground, his blood now stained her white pyjama's. "D-Don't let them see m-me like this…"

"Kids, stay inside!" Ida called out hoarsely.

"What is it Ida?" Prosper asked from inside.

"Don't worry Prosper!" Scipio smiled sadly as he gave a cough, splattering blood over his face and down his front. "Hold on Scipio…"

"T-Too late Ida, I'm done for, I kn-know it. I just wanted-wanted you t-to do something for m-me," Scipio's voice was getting quieter. "T-Tell Prosper I'm sorry."

His eyes squeezed shut as he gave a gasp of pain, his back arched and tears fell down his bloody and bruised cheeks. "That I'm s-sorry for ever-everything."

"You can tell him your self."

"No. I don't want him to-him to remember m-me like this. I want him to-him to remember me how I-I was, before'" he was cut off by his own gasp of pain which turned into a scream as his body moved, pulling injuries upon injuries. "Before the m-merry go round. Before e-everything."

"I will Scipio, but only if the worst happens," she promised him quietly. His smile grew but then stopped, he looked frightened, terrified as more blood dripped from his mouth. She was soaked in it now as well as he, she knew now it was a miracle he'd stayed this long. "It's alright Scipio, it'll be alright."

"Thanks I-Ida," his hands moved up and held onto her shoulders. "Don't t-tell them I w-was this frightened in th-the end. I d-don't deserve p-pity, I don't-" he started to choke on his own blood and his terrified gaze met hers. She was still staring at him when he stopped moving and went limp in her arms, his arm falling onto his bloody chest, his glazed eyes gazing up into the night sky.

"Ida?" Prosper asked worriedly from inside as she began to cry pathetically.

"D-Don't come out Prosper…" But the gasp that followed told her he didn't obey her. She looked up at his horrified face as he ran forwards, dropping so suddenly he grazed his knees. Then he was howling and grabbing at Scipio's body with his hands, coating them in blood.

"No…no Scipio…you can't be…you can't be…NO!"

A/N Part one of four, the depressing one. R&R if you want to, or flame, you're allowed to do that too.


	2. Chapter 2

Disclaimer: I don't own any of them I'm sad to say. BTW this is based more in the movie than the book because I loved the movie and came up with this after watching it and I'm sad to admit I still haven't finished the book. I know, I know, terrible me.

Back To Before.

Part Two.

Ida watched as Prosper howled before her, his hands grabbing the soaking fabric and holding tight. Slowly she drew one of her hands up to Scipio's face and closed his eyes with care, letting her hand rest on the cooling face.

"Prosper," she said quietly. He looked up at her, his heart breaking as he kept a tight grip on his loves shirt, "He asked…he asked me to tell you he was sorry, that he was sorry for everything. I don't know what it meant…"

"Oh Scipio, you've got nothing to be sorry for. It was my fault, I pushed you away, not the other way round remember," Prosper said choked, resting his cheek on Scipio's shoulder. "Why did you have to die Scip? Why?" His voice was so quiet now and filled with sobs but still Ida could hear and understand him, "I love you, you idiot, I love you. You have nothing to be sorry for."

She blinked in surprise and finally saw something that had been before her eyes for a long time. Looking back she now recognised all those looks for what they had been, all those flushed cheeks and bruised lips, all those nights when Prosper didn't come home till late and when he did smelling of something Ida hadn't been able to place. They had been lovers.

"Prosper why didn't you tell me?" she asked quietly.

"That I loved him? Because I thought it was sinful, disapproved of. And when he went on the merry go round and was older I pushed him away slowly. Stopped sl-sleeping with him, stopped letting him kiss me, stopped seeing him. I didn't want him in trouble if someone saw him kissing a little boy," he admitted sadly. "And now he tells you-me that he is sorry? It's me that should be sorry!"

"Prosper…"

"The last two months he must have thought I didn't love him, that I didn't care. The last two months of his life he was miserable because of me!" Prosper shouted in agony, pulling Scipio from her into his own arms. "I am so, so sorry Scipio. So sorry."

Ida glanced at the door and saw the other children there looking as terrified as could be, especially little Bo who was already crying his eyes out in Riccio's arms. Hornet wasn't there, probably still on the phone getting an ambulance, an ambulance that was no longer needed. Turning back to Prosper she found him sobbing into Scipio's hair.

"Prosper I think you should go inside, I'll wait for the ambulance crew," Ida suggested quietly. Prosper looked up at her sharply and shook his head.

"I can't leave him now, not after…no…"

"Prosper I think it's for the best, they'll have to check his body and then store it. Prosper it's better for you to go. I will stay with him, he won't-won't wait alone," Ida said choked. Prosper looked at her and then down at Scipio's relaxed face.

"Alright. But not before I say g-goodbye," he said quietly. Ida watched in utter sadness as he leaned down and pressed a gentle kiss to Scipio's forehead. "Goodbye Scipio. You'll never know how much I really love you now but maybe that's for the best. Be happy where you are, be at piece." After his whisper he leaned down again and this time pressed his to the cold and lifeless ones of Scipio's.

And it was then it happened. Right before Ida as the two boys kissed, or rather Prosper kissed Scipio. They began to glow, brighter than anything she had ever seen, so bright that everyone was forced to look away…

A/N There's Part Two. The almost as depressing but not quite.


	3. Chapter 3

Disclaimer: I don't own any of them I'm sad to say. BTW this is based more in the movie than the book because I loved the movie and came up with this after watching it and I'm sad to admit I still haven't finished the book. I know, I know, terrible me.

Back To Before.

Part Three.

Prosper was aware that something strange was happening when his lips started to tingle an amazing amount and heat up so much they felt like they were burning, when he was blinded by the light himself even though he had closed his eyes for the kiss as he had always done. But the thing that told him something magical was happening the most was when those cold dead lips kissed back. Quickly he pulled back and it was if the light had been switched off at a switch, blackness returned and Prosper could only just make out the face close to his own.

"What was that?" Mosca asked.

"Magic," Bo said quietly.

The voices only just registered in the back of Prosper's mind as he leaned closer to Scipio's face once more, a face which had lost all it's years that the merry go round had given him, the face of the Scipio he had fallen in love with those many months ago. A face that was flinching from pain.

"Scipio?" Prosper asked quietly and then waited, holding his breath. It could have been his imagination, or rather wishful thinking. It could have been just that the merry go rounds effect didn't work after death. But then those eyes opened. "Scip?"

"P-Prop?" the whisper was quiet, filled with pain and confusion. "A-Aren't I…aren't I d-dead? Prosper gave a fully fledged scream and gathered Scipio tightly to him in his arms, sobbing hysterically into Scipio's dark hair. Scipio himself was wincing in pain but clung on just as tightly.

"The ambulance is on it's way!" Hornet shouted as she joined the group who all stared at her strangely, "What?"

"You missed it didn't you? Scipio died, then Prosper kissed him and they glowed really brightly and now he's alive and back to how he was before," Riccio said quickly to the only girl of their group.

"What?" Hornet was both horrified and amazed, Prosper had kissed Scipio? Another boy? Instead of her? And Scipio had died and was alive and a child again? What had been happening in her absence? During the young girls frantic thought's Ida, having noticed Scipio's pain, had moved forwards and forced Prosper to let go of Scipio, taking the boy into her own arms.

"Scipio, I've got to check where your hurt, I can't tell what the magic has done from here, what it's healed and what it hasn't," she told him gently lifting up his shirt. It was now Prosper turned away and fought the urge to be sick. Nothing had been healed, instead they looked like they were fresh, like he'd just been shot. "Hornet, get me some towel. We need to put pressure on wounds, stench the bleeding. We have a second chance at this, and a good one with the paramedics on their way."

"Ida…"

"Help me keep the pressure on Hornet, Prosper. He'll be fine. Mosca! Take Bo inside. Riccio, go out and wait for the paramedics!" Ida ordered calmly. The children obeyed quickly and waited anxiously for the entire five minutes it took the paramedics to arrive.

They sprang into action quickly, pushing the children aside as they applied dressings to the gunshots, to the stabs, to the cuts. They asked Ida questions about the incident and she answered what she could, leaving out the magic bit of course. By this time Scipio's skin was ashen, his eyes full of tears as they strapped him to the bright yellow stretcher.

"What hospital will he be at?" Ida asked, holding Prosper close to her as they lifted him easily, heading out of the garden quickly.

"Central, one of you can come with us," the head paramedic answered.

"I can't, I've got the other children to look after and they are too young to go with you alone. We will go to the hospital as soon as possible," she told him quickly. "Look after that boy for us, he's very special and has been through a lot."

"We will miss, he'll be alright." Then he was gone. Prosper buried his face into Ida's shoulder as more tears leaked out of his eyes. Hornet stood to their side, hugging herself tightly.

"Let's get inside and have something to drink. Then we'll have a chat and I want you all to try and get some rest. We'll go to the hospital in the morning."

A/N There we go, part three complete. And next, part four.


	4. Chapter 4

Disclaimer: I don't own any of them I'm sad to say. BTW this is based more in the movie than the book because I loved the movie and came up with this after watching it and I'm sad to admit I still haven't finished the book. I know, I know, terrible me.

Back To Before.

Part Four.

The hospital smelt funny to the children, far too clean and…well just plain weird. And no body really smiled. Prosper was carrying Bo in his arms, his little brothers face pressed into Prospers neck. Hornet held Ida's hand tightly while Mosca and Riccio stayed close together as the group were led to the ward by the petite nurse that had been at the desk.

"He's in the fourth bed on the right, try not to tire him out too much. Oh and just to warn you he may not make much sense with all the medication running around his system," she told them with a smile.

"Thank you," Ida said quietly before leading the children into the ward. Other visitors were sat by the various beds, some giving flowers or the traditional hospital gift of grapes. They had nothing but themselves. But it seemed that was enough for when the still pale Scipio saw them his smile was enough to melt butter.

"Scip!" Bo was the first one to speak, squirming in Prospers arms until he was let down he then proceeded to just up on the bed and hug Scipio tightly.

"Bo! Gentle, Scipio's still hurt," Prosper said quickly.

"It's alright, how about sitting next to me Bo but not on me, you can lean on me and the pillows," Scipio said with a small smile/wince. The small boy obeyed and snuggled up to Scipio's side, a contented smile on his face.

"How are you feeling Scipio?" Ida asked as the group moved closer around the bed. "Not too much pain I hope?"

"Too much medication to feel anything," Scipio smiled slightly, "I feel alright though. They patched me up, twenty three stitches in total. As you can see I'm hooked up to the blood transfusion thingy because I lost a shocking amount according to the doctors. If only they knew," Scipio smiled at them.

"When can you come home?" Hornet asked.

"I have to stay here for three days, then I'm free as a bird," Scipio smiled around at the group who were mostly leaning on his bed now, except Prosper who was still staring at Scipio from a couple of paces away. "Prosper? What's wrong?"

"Nothing," Prosper said quietly. "Just that…nothing…" Prosper sighed and turned away. "I'm going to go and find the toilet." He left and Scipio frowned after him and then proceeded to ask the others what was wrong with him. He didn't get any answers that helped.

"When he comes back can I talk to him alone?" he asked.

"Of course." Alone in the bathroom Prosper tried to compose himself, it didn't really work and the tears started to fall again. He broke down once more in front of the mirror, scaring the few people who came into the bathroom to actually use it. Once his tears ran out he splashed some water on his face and tried to make him look normal again, the puffy red eyes were not easy to hide though. He walked back to the ward to find the others exiting it.

"Are we going?" he asked.

"No, Scipio wants to talk to you alone so we're going to find something to eat. Go on in Prosper, he's waiting," Ida said with a kind smile as she held Bo in her arms who smiled encouragingly at Prosper who slowly walked back into the ward, going up to Scipio's bed she stood at it's foot.

"Prosper…"

"Scip…" They spoke at the same time. "You first Scip."

"I love you." That had not been what Prosper had been expecting. "The kiss that saved me, the other told me what they saw, how you acted. Prosper…Ida told me that she doesn't think any different about us now that she knows."

"She doesn't think we're disgusting?"

"Is that what you've been worried about?" Scipio asked quietly.

"I was afraid that she'd throw me out, you live with Victor by the office now and then I wouldn't be able to look after Bo," Prosper admitted quietly while walking around the bed to perch on it by Scipio. "I love you but I couldn't have stood to loose Bo again." Scipio's hand gently took Prosper's in his own.

"If, and I mean if it ever came to that not that it's going to I would expect you to choose him over me. It's one of the things I love about you," Scipio said quietly, his thumb stroking the back of Prosper's hand. "And I do love you, you know. Not just because you saved my life but because your you." Prosper smiled shyly at him, a deep and real smile that almost made Scipio giddy.

"I love you too," he didn't add that he loved him more now than he had as an adult. With a small sigh of contentment Scipio placed his hand on the back of Prosper's neck and pulled him down for a deep kiss, he didn't care that almost every patient and visitor on the ward was staring at them. He didn't care at all as Prosper kissed back.

A/N Soppy chapter. I'm thinking of making this the first one in a series. What do you think. Anyway next chapter the conclusion.


	5. Chapter 5

Disclaimer: I don't own any of them I'm sad to say. BTW this is based more in the movie than the book because I loved the movie and came up with this after watching it and I'm sad to admit I still haven't finished the book. I know, I know, terrible me.

Back To Before.

Part 5. (Conclusion)

Prosper's room had had a bed added to it just for Scipio but only after Prosper promised that they wouldn't get up to anything that they shouldn't. That had been an embarrassing conversation and a half. Bo walked ahead of them eagerly as Prosper helped the still weak and medicated Scipio up the stairs of the house.

"Our window has a nice view," Prosper said quietly as they turned to the right at the top of the stairs. Bo ran the little length of corridor to throw open the door.

"All I care about right now is that my beds comfy and warm," Scipio said quietly, "I am so tired and I don't think I could handle another bed like those hard hospital ones."

"Well it should be, it was Bo who chose the mattress for you, claiming it was the comfiest one there," Prosper said with a chuckle. "It is very comfy I'll admit."

"Good good," Scipio nodded. Bo was bouncing up and down happily when they finally made to the room and Prosper lowered Scipio onto the bed on the right, nearest the window. "Ooh it is nice."

"I chose it," Bo said happily.

"So I heard, well you have excellent taste my little friend. Now I need to sleep so how about you go and play with your kittens?" Scipio suggested after ruffling Bo's blond hair, so different from Prosper's. The small boy giggled and ran from the room after giving Prosper a hug. "I might need um some help changing into my pyjama's." Scipio actually blushed as he looked at Prosper.

"That's alright, I'll help and be discreet about it," Prosper said with a knowing smile as he leaned over and started to undo Scipio's jacket. "Does it hurt to move your arms?" Scipio didn't answer so Prosper took it as a yes and was even more careful than he already had been. Soon Scipio was shirtless, his bandaged chest slightly thinner than Prosper remembered it to be.

"Thanks for this Prop," Scipio mumbled as his blue cotton pyjama top was eased on. "It would have been so embarrassing if Ida had to help me…"

"I know," Scipio kissed his lips gently. "Stand up and I'll change your trousers and don't say you can do that bit, I've seen you wince when you bend over too much and when you were climbing the stairs."

"Alright you got me, it does hurt quite a lot. The gun shots I mean, well them and my back and stuff," Scipio admitted quietly while standing slowly. "Please ignore the cartoon boxers, my nurse picked them out for me." Prosper obediently didn't say anything about the cartoon bunny rabbit boxers and simply quickly pulled up the loose pyjama pants.

"Ok, into bed with you," Prosper pulled the covers down on the bed and helped Scipio to lie down comfortably then tucked him in. "Sweet dreams."

"Prosper…" Scipio called suddenly just as his boyfriend reached the door. "When you come back will you sleep beside me?" Prosper smiled lovingly at him.

"Of course I will Scipio, when I come up to sleep I'll sleep beside you and nowhere else," was his happy answer. Then he was gone, heading downstairs and Scipio drifted off to sleep with a happy smile on his face.

When Ida did her usual round of checking on her many adopted children before going to sleep she smiled fondly at what she found in Prosper's room. The two boys in Scipio's bed had their arms wrapped around each other, Scipio's head resting on Prosper's shoulder. Both of them had huge smile on their faces, smiles that Ida hadn't seen them wear in a long while. Quietly she left them alone, her own smile large enough to rival theirs.

A/N There we go, THE END! Want more, you might have ask me nicely to do a sequel then.


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